Bamburgh Castle
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 993. This year came Anlaf with three and ninety ships to Staines, which he plundered without, and went thence to Sandwich, Kent [Map]. Thence to Ipswich, Suffolk [Map], which he laid waste; and so to Maldon [Map], where Alderman Britnoth came against him with his force, and fought with him; and there they slew the alderman, and gained the field of battle; whereupon peace was made with him, and the king received him afterwards at episcopal hands by the advice of Siric, Bishop of Canterbury, and Elfeah of Winchester. This year was Bamborough [Map] destroyed, and much spoil was there taken. Afterwards came the army to the mouth of the Humber; and there did much evil both in Lindsey and in Northumbria. Then was collected a great force; but when the armies were to engage, then the generals first commenced a flight; namely, Frene and Godwin and Frithgist. In this same year the king ordered Elfgar, son of Alderman Elfric, to be punished with blindness.
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1095. Hereafter at Pentecost was the king (age 39) at Windsor, and all his council with him, except the Earl of Northumberland; for the king (age 39) would neither give him hostages, nor own upon truth, that he might come and go with security. And the king (age 39) therefore ordered his army, and went against the earl to Northumberland; and soon after he came thither, he won many and nearly all the best of the earl's clan in a fortress, and put them into custody; and the castle at Tinemouth he beset until he won it, and the earl's brother therein, and all that were with him; and afterwards went to Bamborough [Map], and beset the earl therein. But when the king (age 39) saw that he could not win it, then ordered he his men to make a castle before Bamborough [Map], and called it in his speech "Malveisin"; that is in English, "Evil Neighbour". And he fortified it strongly with his men, and afterwards went southward.
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1095. Then, soon after that the king (age 39) was gone south, went the earl one night out of Bamborough [Map] towards Tinemouth; but they that were in the new castle were aware of him, and went after him, and fought him, and wounded him, and afterwards took him. And of those that were with him some they slew, and some they took alive.
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1095. The king (age 39) then went homeward; for he saw that he could do no more there this winter. When the king (age 39) came home again, he gave orders to take the Earl Robert of Northumberland, and lead him to Bamborough [Map], and put out both his eyes, unless they that were therein would give up the castle. His wife held it, and Morel who was steward, and also his relative. Through this was the castle [Map] then given up; and Morel was then in the king's (age 39) court; and through him were many both of the clergy and laity surrendered, who with their counsels had conspired against the king (age 39). The king (age 39) had before this time commanded some to be brought into prison, and afterwards had it very strictly proclaimed over all this country, "That all who held land of the king (age 39), as they wished to be considered worthy of protection, should come to court at the time appointed." And the king (age 39) commanded that the Earl Robert should be led to Windsor, and there held in the castle [Map].
In Aug 1311 Piers Gaveston 1st Earl Cornwall (age 27) withdrew at Bamburgh Castle [Map].
Warkworth's Chronicle 1461. 1462. Also Quene Margrett1, Herry Duke of Excetre (age 31), the Duke of Somersett, and other lordes2 that fleede England, hade kepte certeyne castelles3 in Northumberlond, as Awnwyk [Map], Bambrught [Map], Dunstonebrught [Map], and also Werworthe [Map], whiche they hade vytaled and stuffed bothe with Englischemenne, Frenschemenne, and Scottesmenne, by the whiche castelle, they hade the moste party of alle Northumberlond.
Note 1. Also Quene Margrett. This was in the year 1462. Towards the end of the year Edward appears to have made a tour to the West of England, perhaps for the purpose of seeing how the country was disposed towards him:- "Deinde Rex Edwardus, Cantuariam peregre profectus, partes meridionales pertransiit, ubi Willielmum Episcopum Wintonie de manibus querentium animam ejus eripuit, insectatores suos graviter redarguit, et eorum capitaneos carcerali custodi emancipavit. Bristollie apperians, a civibus ejus cum maximo gaudio honoratissimè receptus est. [Then King Edward, having journeyed to Canterbury, passed through the southern regions, where he rescued William, Bishop of Winchester, from the hands of those seeking his life, severely rebuked his pursuers, and freed their leaders from prison custody. Upon arriving in Bristol, he was received with the utmost joy and honor by its citizens.]" - MS. Arundel, Coll. Arm. 5, fol. 169, ro. This Chronicle in the College of Arms was first used, as far as I know, for an historical purpose, in a MS. note in a copy of Carte's History of England in the Bodleian Library, where it is referred to on the important testimony of the death of Henry VI. Mr. Black quotes it in the Excerpta Historica, but its value does not appear to be fully appreciated by that author; it is the diary of a contemporary writer on the side of the House of York, and extends to the execution of the Bastard of Fauconberg, and Edward's celebration of the feast of Pentecost which took place immediately afterwards.
The following very curious account of the pageant which received Edward at Bristol is from a MS. in Lambeth Palace, No. 306, fol. 132, ro. I am indebted for it to the Rev. S. R. Maitland, F.R.S., Librarian to the Archbishop of Canterbury, who had the extreme kindness, at my request, to send me a transcript.
"The receyvyng of Kyng Edward the iiijth, at Brystowe.
"First, at the comyng inne atte temple gate, there stode Wylliam Conquerour, with iij. lordis, and these were his wordis:
'Wellcome Edwarde! oure son of high degre;
Many yeeris hast thou lakkyd owte of this londe-
I am thy forefader, Wylliam of Normandye,
To see thy welefare here through Goddys sond. '
"Over the same gate stondyng a greet Gyant delyveryng the keyes.
"The Receyvyng atte Temple Crosse next following;
" There was Seynt George on horsbakke, uppon a tent, fyghtyng with a dragon; and the Kyng and the Quene on hygh in a castell, and his doughter benethe with a lambe; and atte the sleying of the dragon ther was a greet melody of aungellys."
09 Sep 1461. Sir Bawdan (or Baldwin) Fulford was brought before the King, and beheaded at this place on the ninth of September; his head was placed upon Castle Gate. - Rot. C. 8. Mus. Brit.
Note 2. And other lordes. Among them was Thomas Lord Roos (age 34). Paston Correspondence, vol. I. p. 219.
Note 3. Certeyne castelles in Northumberlond. See two contemporary accounts of the sieges of these castles, edited by Mr. Black, in the Excerpta Historica, p. 365.
Chronicle of Gregory 1462. Jul 1462. Thys year Quene Margarete (age 32) com owt of Frauns with lij [52] schyppys, with Freynysche men and some Engelysche men in the schyppys. And they londyd in Northe Humberlonde, it was vij dayes be-fore Alle Halwyn tyde. And there sche toke the castelle of Anwyke [Map] and put it full of Fraynyschemen. And then she retornyd in to Schotlonde by water. And there rosse suche a tempaste uppon her that she for soke her schippe, and a schapyd with the bote of þe schyppe. And the schyppe was drownyd with moche of her stuffe and iij [3] grete schippys moo. And iiij c and vj [406] Fraynysche men were take in the chyrche of Hooly Ylond [Map]. Thenn Kyng Edward (age 20) hyrde telle of thys, and made him redy towarde the Northe with many lordys, gentellys, and comyns with hym. And there he layde a sege to Anwyke Castelle [Map], and to the castelle of Bamborowe [Map], and to Dunsterborowe [Map]. Bamborowe [Map] and Dunsterborowe [Map] was kept by Syr Raffe Persy (age 37) and Syr Harry Bewforde (age 26), late Duke of Somersett, and the castelle of Anwyke [Map] with the Lord Hungerforde (age 31). And Bamborowe [Map] and Dunsterborowe [Map] were yoldyn be Syr Raffe Percy (age 37) and Syr Harry Beuford (age 26), late Duke of Somersett, to the Kyngys wylle, whythe the condyscyons that the said Raffe Percy (age 37) schulde have the kepynge of the ij castellys, Bamborowe [Map] and Dunstarborowe [Map]. The said Syr Raffe Percy (age 37) and Syr Harry Beuforde (age 26), late Duke of Somersett, were sworne to be trewe and faythefulle as trewe lege men unto owre King and sovereign lord Edwarde the iiijthe (age 20). And they com to Derham [Map], and there they were sworne byfore owre King. And the King gaffe them his levery and grete rewardys. See 1464 Suppressing the Lancastrian Northern Resistance.
Chronicle of Gregory 1462. 12 Dec 1462. But within schorte tyme aftyr the said Syr Raffe Percy (age 37) by fals colysyon and treson he lete the Fraynysche men take the castelle of Bamborowe [Map] fro him nolens volo [Note. voluntarily]. As for the castelle of Anwyke [Map] alle the men of werre that were of worschip brake out of the castelle by fors and warre and rescuyd Syr Perys de Brasylle (age 52) on xij day by [v] the morne, and they that were with yn the castelle gaffe hit uppe by a-poyntement, &c.
Chronicle of Gregory 1464. Around Jul 1464. Alle so the same somer my Lord of Warwycke (age 35) and his brether the Lord Mountegewe (age 33), that was made Erle of Northehumberlond by the King, they ij layde a sege unto the castelle of Anwyke [Map] a gate it by a-poyntement. And in the same wyse and forme they gate the castelle of Dunsterborowe [Map] by the same mene. And thenne they layd sege to the castelle of Bamborowe [Map], and layde grete ordynans and gonnys [Note. guns] there too. And manly they gate it by fors, and toke there yn that fals traytur Syr Raffe Gray (age 32), and brought him unto the King to the castelle of Pomfrete [Map]. And fro thens he was ladde to Dankester [Map], and there his hedde was smete of and sent to London, and it was sette a-pon Londyn Bryge [Map].
In 1489 Thomas Darcy 1st Baron Darcy Templehurst (age 22) was appointed Constable of Bamburgh Castle.
Around 1798. Thomas Girtin (age 22). Bamburgh Castle [Map].
Ralph Grey of Chillingham was appointed Governor of Bamburgh Castle.